*48 or 60 month agreement (48 months in AR, CA, and WI) at minimum $53.99/month for Home Security (HS) Package and $69.99/month for Full Home Automation (FHA) Package. $1500 equipment and $199 activation based on FHA package. Promotion value varies by package. Home ownership, and satisfactory credit history required. Free equipment and free installation generally included in all Vivint packages. Taxes and permit fees may apply. New customers only. Services not available in all areas. Click here for Vivint licensing information. All services in Louisiana performed by Vivint Louisiana, License #F1819. Legal Disclaimer. Offer valid 2/19/15 to 2/23/15.

6 March 2013

stream your music throughout the house

As much as I would love to have a house or apartment fully wired to play all of my music simultaneously in every room, that kind of set up is expensive and complicated. So for now, I settle for being able to play music in two different rooms at once (especially handy since I am currently living in a one-bedroom apartment).

I am an Apple junkie, so my solution utilizes AirPlay and an Apple TV. From iTunes on a computer, you can play music to multiple sources. That means that sound will come simultaneously out of your computer, your TV, and any other AirPlay enabled speakers you may have in the house. Audiophiles may shout blasphemy for playing music through your television speakers, but the level of sound quality you want to achieve is totally up to you. I think my television has a fine sound, but you can never go wrong setting up an amplifier, a subwoofer and a full set of surround sound speakers.

When you open up iTunes and start playing music, there is a button next to the volume control that lets you select which speakers to use. You can set it to play on multiple or one at a time, and you can also adjust the volume of either source. Don’t forget to also download the Remote app on your iOS device so that you can control your iTunes from your iPhone as well. Now when you host a dinner party, your playlist is in your pocket the whole time and your music is playing everywhere!

Apple TV costs about $100 and in addition to its Airplay capabilities, it has changed the way I watch television. It lets me stream Hulu Plus, Netflix, and my entire iTunes video library to my TV. I love mine, and it also makes a great gift. What are your favorite ways to stream music and television?